# Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns > Examine Napoleon’s occupation of Moscow, the destructive fires, and the campaign decisions between Borodino and the French retreat. Canonical URL: https://aristotree.com/adrian.26/moscow-september-1812-a-capital-burns Language: en Creator: adrian.26 Last modified: 2026-10-08T08:11:44.412Z Concepts: 10 Relationships: 14 This is a public, user-curated knowledge graph. Follow the cited sources when verifying claims. ## Concepts ### Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte, later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was Emperor of the French from 18 May 1804 until his first abdication in 1814, with a brief restoration during the Hundred Days in 1815. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Mikhail Kutuzov Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky was a field marshal of the Russian Empire. He served as a military officer and a diplomat under the reign of three Romanov monarchs: Empress Catherine II, and Emperors Paul I and Alexander I. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Kutuzov - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Kutuzov?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns Examine Napoleon’s occupation of Moscow, the destructive fires, and the campaign decisions between Borodino and the French retreat. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_of_Moscow_(1812) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_of_Moscow_(1812)?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Moscow Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, situated on the Moskva River in Central Russia. 5 million residents in the metropolitan area. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Fyodor Rostopchin Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin was a Russian statesman and General of the Infantry who served as the Governor-General of Moscow during the French invasion of Russia, when he was responsible for the fire of Moscow in order to prevent the French from occupying this city. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Rostopchin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Rostopchin?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### French invasion of Russia The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign, the Second Polish War, and in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812, was initiated by Napoleon with the aim of forcing the Russian Empire to comply with the continental blockade of the United Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_invasion_of_Russia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_invasion_of_Russia?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Grande Armée The Grande Armée was the primary field army of the French Imperial Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Commanded by Napoleon, from 1804 to 1812 it won a series of military victories that allowed the First French Empire to exercise unprecedented control over most of Europe. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Arm%C3%A9e - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Arm%C3%A9e?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Battle of Maloyaroslavets The Battle of Maloyaroslavets took place on 24 October 1812 as part of the French invasion of Russia. Armies were evenly matched in the battle and suffered similar casualties, with a marginal edge going to the Franco-Italian army. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Maloyaroslavets - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Maloyaroslavets?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Council at Fili The Council at Fili was a military council, which was convened on 13 September 1812 after the Battle of Borodino during the French invasion of Russia by Commander-in-Chief Mikhail Kutuzov in the village of Fili, west of Moscow. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_at_Fili - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_at_Fili?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Battle of Borodino The Battle of Borodino or the Battle of the Moskva took place on the outskirts of Moscow near the village of Borodino on 7 September 1812, during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The Grande Armée fought against the Imperial Russian Army. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Borodino - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Borodino?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ## Relationships - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Napoleon: Occupying commander - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Fyodor Rostopchin: Moscow governor - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Mikhail Kutuzov: Russian commander - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Moscow: Burning capital - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → French invasion of Russia: Wider campaign - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Battle of Borodino: Preceding battle - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Council at Fili: Decision to abandon Moscow - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Grande Armée: Occupying army - Moscow, September 1812: A Capital Burns — related_to → Battle of Maloyaroslavets: Retreat turning point - Napoleon — related_to → Grande Armée: Commanded the army - Fyodor Rostopchin — related_to → Moscow: Governed the city - Mikhail Kutuzov — related_to → Council at Fili: Led the council - Battle of Borodino — related_to → French invasion of Russia: Opened route to Moscow - Battle of Maloyaroslavets — related_to → French invasion of Russia: Shaped the retreat